Adam and the Golden Cock

by Alice Dalgliesh, Leonard Weisgard (Illustrator)

An almost true story of the Revolutionary War and the contribution of the French. Set in Newtown, Connecticut in 1781. When French troops under Rochambeau camp near a young boy's town in Connecticut, the boy makes the acquaintance of a young French soldier and is faced with a questionable relationship with a friend whose father is a Tory.

Genres: Picture Books

64 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1959

About the author

Family: Born in Trinidad, British West Indies; naturalized U.S. citizen; died in Woodbury, CT; daughter of John and Alice (Haynes) Dalgliesh.

Educator, editor, book reviewer, and author, Dalgliesh was an elementary school teacher for nearly seventeen years, and later taught a course in children's literature at Columbia University. From 1934 to 1960 she served as children's book editor for Charles Scribner's Sons. In addition to her book reviews for such magazines as Saturday Review of Literature and Parents' Magazine, Dalgliesh wrote more than forty books for children (most illustrated by Katherine Milhous) and about children's literature.

She received a BA from Columbia University and taught at elementary schools for a while before writing her first book, A Happy School Year, in 1924. Among her books are Newbery Honor books The Silver Pencil (1944), The Bears on Hemlock Mountain (1952), and The Courage of Sarah Noble (1954). The writer Robert Heinlein and Dalgliesh, Heinlein's editor at Scribner's, had conflict in the 1950s. This was revealed in letters published in "Grumbles from the Grave" by Virginia Heinlein.

Reviews

[Michael Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of those in-between books - not a picture book, but not really a middle grade novel. Eight chapters, with pictures about every other spread. Like The Courage of Sarah Noble and with similarly beautiful illustrations by the great Leonard Weisgard.

The artwork is subtle, with lots of texture and shading, and the story is also nuanced. The two sides of the American Revolution are not so easily separated. We see the world through the eyes of young Adam, and we get his perceptions of older people, including his 15-year-old sister, who is boy-crazy for soldiers and his father, who is a soldier in Washington's army. We sense the excitement of children as the soldiers arrive, and we also get the views of elders who are more wary. "Soldiers are soldiers. They take what they want and they do not pay for it. You will see." Adam takes all this in and is a thoughtful observer, often hesitant before acting. There is a real sense of the thought process of a child - how certain ideas or overheard talk can become obsessions and fixations, how it takes some real world experience to clarify things. There is much to appreciate - Dalgliesh is a master. It's a shame this book hasn't been kept in print like Sarah Noble or The Bears on Hemlock Mountain.

The general background of the fictional story is based on well-documented historical events. As Dagliesh notes, "The main part of the story is true." The titular weathervane may still be seen atop the Newtown Meeting House, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. Recent mention says it is gilded, although the book says "Not gilt, but real gold. Nothing less." Incidentally, the local historian says the bullet holes are unlikely to have been added by the visiting French soldiers. That's just a local myth (which is not mentioned by Dalgliesh).

This would be an excellent book to supplement study of the Revolution and could easily lead to more discussion, both related to the war and to more general interpersonal relations. All this in 64 pages.

[Cynthia Egbert · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a sweet reminder in a "mostly" true young chapter book that the American Revolution was essentially a civil war and there were people living right next to each other who were fighting on different sides. I love that the two boys found their way back to a friendship as the war came to an end. And, yes, the golden cock vane can still be seen in Newtown, Connecticut.

[Dianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another Dalgliesh book to complete my Dalgliesh Oeuvre. I think this one is OK but I can see why The Courage of Sarah Noble is still in print and this one is not. This would be great if you are local to Newtown, Connecticut or if you find it in your used book store trolling but it is not one to plunk down lots of cash to get. Weisgard lived in the town the story hails from and Dalgliesh, who also lived in New England, wrote many simple early reader stories with historical settings to give you a feel for a time. This one is set in Revolutionary War period if you have it and want to add it to a unit study.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

Story was actually too simple and kind of boring, but the illustrations were wonderful.

[Casey · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is nothing better than this book.